WASHTech Burkina Faso: Le sprint final est amorcé!

Plus que quelques mois et le projet WASHTech prendra fin au Burkina. Dans cette perspective, l’équipe du projet au Burkina Faso composé des Bureaux Burkina Faso de l’agence panafricaine intergouvernementale Eau et Assainissement pour l’Afrique (EAA), de Water-Aid et de IRC, met un coup d’accélérateur aux activités restantes avant la fin du projet en Décembre 2013.

Parmi les activités phares prévues en cette fin du projet, il y’a l’organisation d’un atelier national de formation des acteurs intervenant dans le domaine WASH qui sera piloté par la Direction des Etudes et de l’Information sur l’Eau (DEIE). L’objectif de cet atelier sera de présenter les acquis du projet notamment les outils Technology Assessment Framework (TAF) et Technology Introduction Process (TIP) et de renforcer leurs capacités à l’utilisation de ces deux outils. Les impacts du projet au Burkina Faso après trois années de mise en œuvre seront présentés. Cet atelier national se tiendra courant Novembre 2013. Avant cet atelier national, les capacités du staff de la DEIE seront renforcées à l’utilisation des outils TAF et TIP afin qu’ils puissent assurer leurs rôles d’institution hôte de ces deux outils à la fin du projet. Dans la foulée, les documents et produits clés du projet sont en train d’être traduits en français pour une publication en ligne et une mise à disposition auprès des partenaires et acteurs du secteur. Aussi, les histoires de changements liés à la mise en œuvre du projet seront collectées en vue de déterminer les impacts réels du projet sur les acteurs du secteur au Burkina Faso. Les histoires seront collectées auprès des ONG locales, des institutions déconcentrées de l’Etat en charge de l’eau et de l’assainissement, les départements pertinents auprès du Ministère en charge de l’eau et de l’assainissement, les institutions de recherche, etc.

Le TAF après WASHTech?

L’une des préoccupations majeures pour l’ensemble du projet est le sort qui sera réservé aux outils TAF et TIP à la fin du projet. L’équipe du Burkina Faso s’y est penchée depuis quelques mois déjà La Direction des Etudes et de l’Information du l’Eau (DEIE) a été choisie pour être l’institution hôte qui abritera le TAF et le TIP à la fin du projet. Ce choix n’a pas été fortuit. En effet, la DEIE est une direction spécialisée de la Direction Générale des Ressources en Eau (DGRE) du Ministère de l’Eau, des Aménagements Hydrauliques et de l’Assainissement. Elle dispose donc de tous les atouts nécessaires pour gérer et faire appliquer ces outils au plan national car bénéficiant de l’approbation des autorités du pays. Depuis ce choix, l’équipe de WASHTech a travaillé à faire participer la DEIE aux activités du projet en accompagnant, sur autorisation du gouvernement, les acteurs du projet en Ouganda à la rencontre mondiale de tous les acteurs du projet. En outre des échanges sont entamés pour la signature d’un cadre de partenariat à long terme entre EAA (qui représente les autres partenaires) et la DEIE pour l’utilisation, la promotion et la vulgarisation de l’outil TAF. La convention a été élaborée et est en phase d’amendement au niveau de la DEIE. Selon le programme, cette convention devrait être signée d’ici à la fin du mois d’octobre pour donner lieu à une série de formations pilotées par l’ensembles des partenaires que sont EAA, WaterAid et IRC, pour familiariser cette institution au langage de l’outil.

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TAF addresses the challenge of technology in WASH (video)

The WASHTech video is here! It illustrates the challenge of technology in WASH and how the Technology Applicability Framework (TAF) provides a systematic and participatory way of assessing and adopting technology innovation at scale, for services that last. The video using animations and interviews with WASHTech project staff from Ghana.

New website gives the sector access to TAF

WASHTech is proud to present a new website that will make all WASHTech tools and publications available to sector actors and provide a platform for sharing experience on using the tools.

washtechnologies.net provides access to the TAF manual, questionnaires and background material. The questionnaires are Word documents, enabling users to contextualize the documents according to their needs. 

The website will have a platform for sharing experiences on the application of the TAF after completion of the WASHTech project in December this year. New outputs such as the Technology Introduction Process guide will be uploaded on the website in the website in the coming weeks. The website is hosted by RWSN 

WashTech side event at UNC Water & Health conference 2013

Over 750 million and 1 billion people lack access to improved water sources and adequate sanitation, respectively. There have been numerous efforts to reduce this number by scaling up WaSH technologies; however, these scale-up approaches have not always been successful. It is critical that new approaches to scaling up WaSH technologies are explored and the applicability of a given technology in a specific context is systematically reviewed.

A workshop “New Approaches to Scaling Up WaSH Technologies” was organised at this year’s University of North Carolina’s Water and Health conference to introduce novel approaches to scaling up WaSH technologies. One of these approaches is the Technology Applicability Framework (TAF).

41 delegates attended the workshop, which included presentations from Skat Foundation about the TAF and TIP (Technology Introduction Process), Water Missions international, Water4, World Vision, Messiah College and Design Outreach on their experiences of introducing solar water pumping, prepayment water vending, manual drilling, a pvc handpump, improvements to the India Mark II and a new heavy duty handpump for very deep wells (down to 150m).

‘Context is key’

The most important takeaway messages from the session were: before technologies are introduced context needs to be taken into account and different stakeholder perspectives should be reflected on before deciding on a technology.

Discussions continue

There was a lot of enthusiasm for the TAF and the washtechnologies.net website, which makes all WASHTech tools and documents available to sector actors and provides a platform for sharing experience on using the tools.

On Tuesday 22nd October, an explanation of TAF featured heavily in a lunchtime presentation, organised by WASH Advocates in Washington DC, given to a group of 19 professionals from a wide range of organisations, including USAID, Plan International, the Millennium Water Alliance, Rotary WASRAG, Johns Hopkins University and World Vision.  The TAF was also discussed in other bi-lateral meetings with Water Missions International, Charity:Water and Unicef.

WASHTech hosts 2nd meeting for development of Guidelines for TIP

The second meeting for the development of Uganda sector specific guidelines for technology introduction took place on the 25th September 2013. The meeting which was hosted by the appropriate technology center attracted fifteen people with representatives from Ministry of Water, District local government, Universities, NGOs and private sector. During the two hour  meeting, participants reviewed the draft Guidelines that had been developed and highlighted a few comments that needed to be addressed by the drafting committee. The meeting ended with remarks from the principal engineer Ministry of Water and Environment reminding participants to read through the draft GTI and input before the final draft GTI is shared with the sector and it starts being used.

The development of the Guidelines for technology Introduction is spearheaded by the Ministry of Water and Environment, Rural Water Department with support from NETWAS Uganda, Water Aid and Appropriate Technology Center.

Learn about the Technology Applicability Framework at Stockholm World Water Week

Dr. Alison Parker

On Wednesday, September 4th, Dr Alison Parker from Cranfield University will represent WASHTech at the ‘Ideas Market place’ at World Water Week 2013 in  Stockholm, Sweden.

At 1.40 PM, she will give a short talk about the Technology Applicability Framework and how WASHTech is engaging governmental agencies, development partners, NGOs, the private sector and research institutes in Ghana, Burkina Faso and Uganda.

Join her in the Exhibition Hall to find out more about the Technology Applicability Framework and how it can contribute to sustainable water and sanitation services.

 

Validating water and sanitation innovations

Since 2011, WASHTech consortium partners have been engaging a range of sector professionals (from governmental agencies, development partners, NGOs, the private sector and research institutes) in the development and testing of the Technology Applicability Framework (TAF) a participatory tool which helps to make informed decisions for most promising technologies and for strategic planning.

In addition to developing a robust framework and methodology for applying it, the project is in the final stages of producing guidelines on how to support the successful uptake of a promising innovative technology at district and national level in a Technology Introduction Process Guide (TIP).

Policy makers and local governments have been involved in developing and piloting the process and tools. A ‘host’ organisation has been found in each country, which will ensure that the TAF and TIP are applied beyond the duration and geographical scope of the project. These organisations have a formal role in technology validation and introduction processes in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Uganda.

Read more about WASHTech in the 3-page article that was published in International Innovation. Read the full article “Validating water and sanitation innovations” International Innovation Journal p49-51, June 2013.

International Innovation is the leading global dissemination resource for the wider scientific, technology and research communities, dedicated to disseminating the latest science, research and technological innovations on a global level. More information and a complimentary subscription offer to the publication can be found at: www.researchmedia.eu

Existance of TAF adds value to the WASH sector

Members of the National Sanitation Working Group (NSWG)  have appreciated the value being added by the Technology Assessment Framework (TAF) to ensure sustainable use of  sanitation technologies. Members mentioned that the gaps uncovered by the TAF  on some of the sanitation technologies were relevant for further consultation on scaling these technologies especially the UDDT. A representative from GIZ Uganda informed the group that even though the TAF findings rated the UDDT as failed, in some parts of the country its rated as successful hence the reasons for its failure can also be addressed to make it successful. The NSWG meeting was held at Kampala City Council Authority head office on 13th August 2013 with the theme “Reviewing the definition of sanitation in Uganda”

 

TAF to be tested on other technologies Rwenzori region

A comment from the recently concluded Hand Pump Mechanics Association Learning Visit to Rwenzori region indicated the need for the Technology Applicability Framework (TAF) to be tested on existing technologies in the region like the Manual drilling rig. This was  raised after a presentation made by NETWAS Uganda at the learning journey about the progress of the TAF. The suggestion was later lauded by HEWASA, a local NGO promoting manual drilling in Rwenzori who indicated that in order to scale up their technology, there was need for recommendations from the TAF.

Simon Peter from NETWAS taking participants through the TAF

The HPMA learning visit was organized to provide learning for the social, economic and technical transformation of the HPMAs functionality in Northern Uganda. And to be able to use the knowledge acquired to improve sustainability of water supply systems in the region. This gathering attracted 40 participants from regions of North, West and Central.

1st WASHTech webinar attracts 25 participants and lots of questions

How were community members engaged in the piloting of the Technology Applicability Framework (TAF) for the rope pump in Ghana? This was one of the questions asked during the Webinar “Investing in effective technologies with the Technology Applicability Framework”, which was attended by 25 participants on 3 June 2013.

Benedict Tuffuor of TREND, who presented the rope pump case study, gave the following answer:

The community members were consulted in a participatory way during data collection, and some were involved in the local level validation workshop.  User groups were involved in the data collection to understand their feedback on the use of the Rope Pump.  May be not so much the processes but the opportunity to express their experiences with the technology, and hope that their concerns will be addressed.

The webinar was introduced and facilitated by IRC’s Jo Smet. André Olschewski of the Skat Foundation presented the TAF and the Technology Introduction Process (TIP), followed by Benedict Tuffuor’s rope pump case study and a discussion.